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Restoring Order and Some Time at the Machine

This I know for sure: creativity and order are not mutually exclusive.

Since I don’t have a craft room, I improvise in various rooms of the house. I set up my sewing machine in the living room and projects requiring glue, tape or paint happen in the kitchen. We’ve been doing our costume spray painting outside in my newspaper-lined wheelbarrow. Boy, the fumes are nasty. I don’t think I’ve spray-painted in ten years.

After weeks of setting up Halloween, dressing up pumpkins, making cards, sewing our costumes, I could take the chaos no longer. I sorted, cleaned, straightened and did the family laundry while I was at it. When I found one of the buttons to Mike’s costume at the bottom of the washing machine, a barely flinched. How it got there is anyone’s guess. I’m just glad I found it.

With order restored, I felt the calm descend. I threaded the machine, pinned some fabric into place, and I sewed. Yippee! Life is good.

No-Candy Countdown:

Thanks for cheering me on with my no-candy countdown. Marlene, Diane and a few others are doing the same. Support and accountability help me stay strong. I’m sleeping better, not so driven by my cravings and the scale moved south, just a bit. With three Halloween parties to attend, I’m planning a good dinner ahead of time to limit my junk-food intake once there.

Under-the-sea Costume Update:

I completed all the machine sewing on Mike’s tunic today. The medallion is sewn in place along with the buttons to support the cape. I plan to add ‘seaweed’ to his tunic and some sparkle to give it a sense of movement. Additionally, I cut the fabric for his cape, but need him to try it on before I finish the shoulder details. It’s fun seeing it come together.

Under the sea costume progress

Pumpkins on Parade:

Introducing the ghost of the mystery pumpkin patch.

Ghost pumpkin

One of my boys insisted on dressing up as a ghost one Halloween, though quickly realized how difficult it was to see. Lessons learned. I’ve kept the ‘costume’ all these years, and use it in a variety of ways. This year it’s draped over the wicker chair on the front deck. Other years I’ve used it as a part of a group of layered table cloths for our Halloween party. The year that our magic cauldron leaked, the ghost soaked up the water along with orange and purple dye from something on the table. After a wash, it still had just a trace of those colors. Our ghost continues to improve with age.

Please keep sharing your ideas for pumpkin dress up. I’ll be catching up on comments and your posts over the next few days, but I’ll be back here at Gardening Nirvana on Monday. I hope to see you then.

18 thoughts on “Restoring Order and Some Time at the Machine”

I know that one – creative mess tends to leave all kinds of things in all kinds of odd places. I’ve learned to be grateful I found something before I knew it was missing or just shrug my shoulders and re-make something that has gone AWOL in the sure knowledge it will turn up later when I no longer need it …… once I found a butterfly I had spent hours creating stuck to Orlando’s back paw 🙂

LOL Okay, that was funny. I’m not laughing at your expense but laughing at the idea of a butterfly under his paw. Too funny.

What I find is that the more I pull out, the more things I need to keep track of and eventually I can’t. Then I tidy up, put the tools in once place, and then the whole thing starts over again. I put away my sewing machine and ironing board today, first time in a month. Now I know where two pairs of reading glasses are. Order restored.

The outsider perspective is that the creative process seems to be pretty messy and involves some degree of chaos…I have found that even though they might loose things from time-to-time that they are the people you would choose to sit with on the porch to hear what they have to say, what they think, and hope that they would share their reflections on the world with you.

Wicked fun you’re having this month. You’re so creative 😀 Love all the layers of paint on Mikes costume. I could see your dress form incorporated as a prop on the porch with one of your previous costumes, maybe a mask? I went thru a costume store yesterday but didn’t see anything really. The girl costumes are all to sex-pot for me, LOL So I guess I’ll stick with my original idea. I thought I’d be Amy Farrah Fowler. I pretty much have everything in my closet, HA. It’s cute you’ve hung onto your boys old ghost costume for so many years. When we moved, I sold all our Halloween costumes at a garage sale. They were one of the first things to go. I wish I’d kept a few. xoxoK

Oh what a great idea! I love that suggestion. Hmmmm…what should I have her wear. Now you’ve really got me thinking. Thanks for that.

My friend Karen and her husband dressed up as Amy and Sheldon one year and they even did a skit. Wish I could have seen that. You’ll be so cute, whatever you do. I just love that character and the actress as well.

Great idea selling your costumes at a garage sale. I’m not surprised that they were quickly snapped up given your amazing creativity.

A craft/sewing room is the reward you get for finally letting your children go into the world alone. That makes the empty room a bit easier to bear. I sewed in the dining room for years. I would again since I don’t dine. 🙂 I love how the costume is coming along and happy for your no candy resolve. I’m doing well in that department but still eating too many nuts. Yes, I am…nuts. As for the chaos, well, it’s inevitable when you’re creative. I lost my nippers on Friday. On Saturday, they were sitting right next to my machine. That happens a lot. Means I need to straighten things up or quit for a while. Or I have a ghost playing with me. 🙂

You know, Pauline said the same thing. Now that my oldest son is applying for college, I’m starting to freak out. It’s like you want them to move on in the abstract because that is what we all do, but then the reality comes along and it is so scary.

I love nuts too! They’re better for you than candy, but lots of fat.

I’m glad the nippers reappeared. I should have asked first before borrowing them. 😉

Gosh, Alys, so true! Creativity can leave it’s messy mark on a home. But, as is evident from your spectacular costumes, the temporary untidiness can be so worth it! You’ve done a stunning job with those so far – can’t wait to see the end result. You’ve also been an inspiration with the “no candy” challenge. Well done for such a huge effort. I’ve also been loving your pumpkin characters and the changes to your blog’s background etc. They’ve made Halloween Month so much fun! xoxoxox

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I'm passionate about gardening, organizing, blogging and cats. I live in Silicon Valley, California with my husband of 22 years and two almost-grown sons. Our feline family varies. The current count is three.